Combined clock and lamp



(NoMoael.) J. M. CRAWFORD.

COMBINED CLOCK AND LAMP. No. 377,240. Patented Jan. 431, 1888.

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JOHN M. CRAVFORD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COlt/lBlNED CLOCK AND LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377.240, dated January31, 1888.

Application tiled May 14, 1887. Serial No. 238,259.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. CRAWFORD, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Philadelphia, iu the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCombined Clock and Lamp; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention has relation to combined clocks and lamps of that classwherein the clock-dial is illuminated at predetermined intervals byautomatically raisingthe dame of the lamp.

Letters Patent of the United States, dated the 3d day of March and the5th day of May, 1885, and numbered, respectively, 313,300 and 317,312,have already been granted to me for improvements in illuminated clocks,and iu said Letters Patent No. 317,312 I have shown and describedmechanism whereby theraising and lowering ofthe llame of the lamp isautomatically produced by the aid of a sliding tube which embraces thewick-tube, and is connected or coupled te the clock mechanism by deviceswhich will cause the light-regulating tube to be lowered atpredetermined intervals, maintained in its lowered position for amoment, and then raised in order to diminish the light. In addition tomechanism for intermittently raising and reducing the light Said LettersPatent embrace means whereby upon the discharge or sounding ot' thealarm mechanism of an alarm-clock the light will be raised to a fullflame and so maintained until reduced by hand.

lIy present invention contemplates certain modifications andimprovements in the sub- 40 jects of my said patents, and theseimprovements have reference partly to the simplifica- 4 tion of themechanism by which the light is (No model.)

the best expedient for raising and lowering the dame, as it has manyadvantages over any contrivance for the saine purpose with which' I amacquainted, among which may be incidentally mentioned that it does notrequire any tampering with the wick, and that it effectually destroysthe noxious fumes that rcsult from the use of other forms ofextinguishers or flame-reducers.

Incidental to the simplification of the lightcontrolling devices I havehad in view the reduction of the number of working parts and thediscarding of all unnecessary motions,such as cranks, levers, and thelike. In short, my aim and object has been to contrive an instrumentupon the best mechanical principles, wherever springs, rock-shafts, andunnecessary friction-generating features could be omitted.

My invention accordingly consists, rst, `in the peculiar constructionand combination of parts, having reference to the objects abovesuggested, and, furthermore, in the provision of the following novelfeatures and expedients, to wit: second, a swiveled clock-case suitablymounted upon the lamp-fixture and capable ot' being turned readily toVany angle with the light, so that it can be adjusted to any positionconvenient or necessary for fully exposing the dial to view; third, anadjustable wedge, key, or slide by which the extent or play given to thelight-controlling devices may be regulated so as to flash or raise thelight to any predetermined extent or to maintain it at any degree ofillumination 5 fourth, an adjustable indicator applied to or placed inproper relation with the dial of the clock and capable of being set oradjusted to correspondence with any hour or period which is to berecalled for the purpose of performing any specitic act atadeliniteinterval; fifth, a combined clock and lamp in which the handle of thelamp c'onstitutes the supporting base or platform upon which the clockrests.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating IOO Lil

the face of the clock. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly broken away,showing wedge or key for controlling size of ame. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of a detail.

A designates the clock, the case of which is indicated by the letter Band the dial by the letter C.

D designates a lamp, the bowl of which consists of a cylinder orotherconveniently-shaped tank surmounted by a burner, D', having theiiat wick-tube D. f

E designates the light controlling tube, which is in the form of asleeve, embracing the upper part Vof the wick-tube, and separated'therefrom by a narrow air-space all around.

The object of this space is to admit sufficient air to the flame toconsume the escaping or waste gases, which are noxious and unhealthy. Tothe sides of this sleeve are rigidly attached the rods or arms e e,which pass downward vertically through suitable openings in the burner.

In my PatentNo. 317,312 I have shown and` described the tube E ascoupled to a rock-shaft, which by a series of intermediate connectionswas connected to the clock-case so as to be controlled by the rotationof the minute-hand arbor. In the present case I have so contrived andarranged the parts that the tube E will have a true Vertical play ormotion, and hence have discarded the rock-shaft and its appurtenances.In lieu thereof I connect the pendants e directly to the forkedextremity of a long lever, F, fulcrumed on the lampfixture at aconsiderable distance from the burner. rlhe pendants e are pivotallyconnected to this lever and to the long arm thereof and move up and downwith great freedom in exactly parallel lines, without any lateral motionwhatever.

G designates a bracket which serves the double purpose of a handle forthe lamp and a support for the clock.. This bracket is preferablyaskeleton or openswork casting formed an annular groove, h, in the partg2.

with a segmental base-plate, G', which conforms to the shape of and issecured by screws,y nuts, or suitable fastenings to the lamp-bowl. Thetop of the bracket is flanged so as to form a table or platform, G, on aline or even with the surface of the lamp-bowl. A short flanged tubecollar or thimble, H, is secured to this table and forms the bearing forthe rotary hollow stern of the clock. The latter (shown at g) iits overthe tenoned or diminished portion g2 of the thimble and turns freelythereon, `being held in position against vertical displacement by meansof set-screws g3 entering The stem g is formed upon or with a segmentalplate, g4, shaped to fit nicely to the cylindrical wall of the clock,and provided with hooks 'i c',

ywhich embrace the ange surrounding the back of the clock, and withscrews it, by which itisfastened rigidly to the clock-case. This plateand stenrniay be easily attachedto and detached from the clock-case, andhence are applicable to any clock of sui-table size and shape. Henceshould it be necessary to renew or substitute the clock at any time itrequires but little work to attach the stem. The lever F extendsrearwardly into the thimble H through a slot, H', and terrninatesin adisk or flat plate, h. At right angles to and below the inner end oftheleverF is arrangedaslide, which projects through openings on eitherside of the thimble, and is bent up at the ends to provide thumb-pieceswith which to grasp it. Upon the upper surface of this bar is formed ortted a wedge shaped ridge or block, k, which slides under the end ofthelever and serves to regulate and limit the movement of said leverand, correspondingly, the movementof the lightregulating tube E. Bymoving this slide ythe amount or Vsize of the ame can be gaged to thegreatest nicety from a mere glimmer or speck to a full llame.

Tooperate the lever Ffrom the clock mechanism I adopt the same expedienton the minute-hand arbor as in my previous patents; but, instead ofusinga lever or levers such as therein shown to communicate motion fromthe arbor or alarm,Iemploy avery simple and effective contrivance, whichconsists of a frame, K, comprising the two wires or rods m m', attachedto a cross-head, m2. From the latter depends a bar, n, which is bentinwardly and vertically, passing through the slots'a a2 in the back andwall of the clock, and terminat ing at its lower end in a stud, 19,which just touches or normally lies above the plate or disk 7L. Attheirupper ends the wires or rods m m pass through holes in the flange Iand have no movement except a true vertical one. Upon the rod m is fixedabeveled stud,p,

which faces the winged head or cross R of the minute-hand arbor, while asimilar `stud, p2, n

on the rod m is adapted to engage with the thumb-nutS on thewinding-shaft of the alarm.

rIhe relation of the wires m m and their attachments is clearlyillustrated in the drawings, and their operation will be easily nnder=stood. The wires m m and cross-head are intended to fall by gravitysolely and have neither shaft, spring, nor pivot to overcome.

The weight of the frame is sufficient to trip the lever F and to movethe light-controlling tube E.

As the parts are shown thelight will be raised every quarter-hour by thearms of thev cross coming in contact with the stud m and lifting theframe K, so as to release the lever F. Now, as the long arm of thelatter and the tube E overbalance the short arm their weight issufficient IlO ates similarly upon the stud p2 when the alarm strikes,but after raising the frame K stops and maintains the frame at itselevation, so that the enlarged. flame is now constant until reduced byhand.

To produce and maintain a light full flame at any time it is onlynecessary to move the slide h2, so as to elevate the short arm of thelever F.

The mechanism above described for operating the tlamecontrolling tubeembodies in construction and arrangement a very novel and importantdeparture in the line ol' illuminating-clocks. The operation ot' theparts being controlled by gravity, without the use of sp rin gs or otheruncertain eXpedients, is thoroughly and permanently reliable. The numberof working parts is reduced to a minimum and there is really not-hing toget out of order or require taking up or ,adjustment. Between thegravity-frame on the back of the clock and the lever th rough which theiiame is raised and lowered there is no actual connection. Hence theclock may be adjusted to any angle without in any degree whateveraffecting the operation of the devices. The relation ot' the latter toeach other remains the same into whatever position the clock is turned.

So far I have described means for raising and lowering the light atdefinite intervalssay every quarter of an hour. Itis, however,important, particularly in the sick room, to indicate other intervals orthe recurrence of periods necessary for the administration of medicaltreatment or nourishment. It is diilicult to keepin mind such periods orto refer to any record. To meet the want in this particular I haveprovided the device M, which consists of a pointer attached toaband, M,which encircles the face ot' the clock, and which may be moved around toany position, the pointer being always directed toward the center of thedial. Lugs o0 on the band serve to keep t-he latter in position. Thepointer is set to registerwith thepredetermined liouror period, and whenthe hour-hand of the clock arrives at this point and coincides with thepointer it will be remembered, without further indication, that the timehas arrived when medicine or nourishment is to be administered or someother speciticactperformed. rIhis method of indication is obviouslybetter and more reliable than mere dependence on the memory, or on awritten record, which under anxiety,

- mental strain, and other causes incidental to the sick room are verylikely to be misleading.

It may be observed that the omission after any period to adjust thepointer does not materially affect its efficiency, as it will in thisevent indicate the last period. For instance, if medicine or treatmentis tobe administered every two hours, beginning at ten p. m.,the pointeris 'then set to twelve o7 clock. Should it be forgotten to adjust itafter twelve it will at two a. 1n. be seen that another two hours haselapsed and that the last treatment was at twelve, the hour with whichthe pointer coincides.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a lamp or other light fixture, of a clockhaving its dial in a vertical plane and its case swiveled upon avertical axis, whereby said clock may be arranged at different angles inrelation to the light, substantially as described.

2. In a night-clock or combined clock and lamp or light fixture, a clockhaving its dial in a vertical piane and having an adjustable pointer orsupplementary hand arranged in dependently ot' the clock mechanism andat tached to an adjustable ring or collar encircling the clock-case,substantially as described.

3. In a combined clock and lamp, the combination, with the lamp-bowleroiltank, of a laterally horizontally projecting handle upon which theclock is supported, said handle being arranged in a vertical radialplane and provided with atable or platform, G2, on its upper edge toreceive the clock-stein, substantially as described.

Li. In a combined clock and lamp, the combination, with the clock andlamp-burner,the latter being provided with a sliding orvertically-adjustable flame-regulating tube having pendants c e, ot' ahorizontal lever connected directly to said pendants and connectedoperatively with the clock mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a combined clock and lamp, the combination, with thellame-regulating tube eX- terior to the wick-tube and the clock, of thehorizontal lever F,0perating by its own weight, and a frame attached tothe back ofthe clock and controlled by the clock mechanisrmwhereby atintervals the name-regulating tube is moved vertically to raise or lowerthe iiame, substantially as described.

6. In a combined clock and lamp, the com bination, with thevertically-movable tiameregulating tube e, of the horizontal lever F,having its long arm connected directly to the tube-arms c e and itsshort arm in contact with mechanism for operating said lever atintervals, whereby said lever will move in substantially a vertical lineat its point of connection with the arms c, substantially as described.

7. In a combined clock and lamp, the combination, with thelight-controlling device applied to the burner or wicletube and thelever F connected therewith, of the cam or wedge-like slide h2,constructed and adapted to limit or regulate the throw of said lever'and the size or duration of the iiame, substantially as described.

8. In a combined lamp and clock, the combi- IOO nation, with theflame-controlling tube and In testimony that I claim the foregoing I thelever F, of a, vertically-sliding frame athave hereunto set my hand this11th day of Io taehed to the back of the clock and having its May, A. D.1887. lower part in Contact with the lever and 5 adapted to engage withthe clock mechanism JOHN M' CRAWFORD' at intervals and to be raisedthereby, so as to Vitnesses: release the lever and allow the tube to below- -W. W. DOUGHERTY, ered, substantially as described. GEO. H.KINsoLvING.

